


Screw Regulations

by Aleigh75



Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: F/M, First Kiss, Getting Together, Love Confessions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-15
Updated: 2019-12-15
Packaged: 2021-02-26 08:08:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,593
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21810052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aleigh75/pseuds/Aleigh75
Summary: Sometime during the events of ME3, Vega and Shep finally get their act together.
Relationships: Female Shepard/James Vega
Comments: 2
Kudos: 19





	Screw Regulations

**Author's Note:**

> This has been sitting on my hard drive for *ages* almost exactly as is, so I decided to just wrap it up. There was originally going to be a sex scene, but I haven't actually written one of those in over a year, so it's probably not going to happen, thus why the ending is kind of abrupt. Sorry about that... 
> 
> As usual, I don't own them, and I'm not profiting from this.

**_James_ **

“Spirits! When are you two going to just...what do humans say? Get a room already?” Garrus asked, shooting a questioning look at Cortez, who nodded back with a knowing smirk as he began his post-flight check of the Kodiak.

James who was trying to release an especially stubborn pressure clasp on his chest plate, jerked his head up to stare at the turian, his heart skipping a beat as he struggled to keep himself from glancing toward the elevator Shepard had just entered; she’d dashed across the shuttle bay and darted inside before any of the ground team could attempt to engage her in conversation. Hoping it wasn’t too late, James pulled his features into a deliberately confused expression in hopes of throwing off his turian friend. “Huh? Who two?” He asked, tilting his head slightly.

“Play dumb all you want, Vega,” Garrus snorted, rolling his eyes as he stowed his gear. “In case you forgot to attend your alien studies class back in basic training, turians have a very keen sense of smell.”

James wasn't playing dumb this time when he frowned, and repeated, “Huh?” He’d caught a very bad cold during basic, which happened to fall right in the middle of his alien studies course...and as it happened, he  _ had _ missed the section covering turians. He was slightly ashamed to admit that he’d never gone back in the text to catch up on what he’d missed.

Garrus sighed heavily, and rolled his eyes again. “Pheromones,” he stated flatly, tapping his nose. “You  _ do _ know what _ those _ are, right?” He waited for James’ answering nod before continuing. “Well, I can smell them. Half the crew is lusting after each other, but fortunately for me, I don't wind up stuck in the Kodiak with Donnelly and Daniels every other day. Oh, and you might think armor would contain the scent. It doesn't...” He wiggled his mandibles in what James assumed was the turian equivalent of a shit eating grin. “Between the two of you, that shuttle reeked so bad, I’m surprised Cortez couldn’t smell you from the cockpit.”

Eyes wide with horror, James opened and closed his mouth a few times, while Cortez broke into hysterical laughter. By the time he'd gotten over the shock of realizing Garrus  _ knew _ he'd been hopelessly turned on by having Rory...er...Commander Shepard doze off practically in his lap on the trip back from the Cerberus lab they'd just taken out, the turian had already stepped into the elevator. Shooting Cortez a scathing glare, he muttered, “Púdrete, gilipollas!” and stomped toward the armory, where he began removing his armor in quick, jerky movements.

“Jimmy, come on, I didn't mean to laugh...it was just the look on your face, amigo...” Cortez said, wiping his eyes as he cautiously approached. They'd been friends long enough for him to know that not many things could make James lose his temper. Being mocked or ridiculed in what he felt was a malicious way, however, was an extremely sore point for him. James had been a late bloomer...sickly and scrawny as a child, and as a result, had been rather viciously bullied growing up. It was one of the reasons he took such pains to stay in top physical condition...he never wanted to be pushed around again.

Sighing, James dropped his sweaty, blood-stained armor in a neat pile in the corner to clean later. After taking a deep breath, he turned to face Cortez, who was standing just inside the small work area James had cordoned off for himself. “Lo siento, Esteban. I overreacted. I'm not mad at you. I'm not even mad...not really. I was just-”

“You were embarrassed,” Cortez finished for him, nodding in understanding. “I get it, but don't you realize what this means?”

“That turians have absolutely no concept of subtlety? Or tact?” James muttered, slamming his shotgun down on his work station a bit harder than he'd intended, then patting it almost apologetically. 

“No,” Cortez snorted softly. “Well, yes, you’re right, they don’t. But he said the ‘two of you,’ tonto. As in  _ Shepard _ smelled like pheromones too...”

James blinked slowly. In his embarrassment over being called out for lusting over Rory, that little fact hadn’t even registered. He’d never in a million years dreamed that she might feel the same way about him. “What? No. You think?”

“Dude...I’ve flown her on a lot of missions in the last few months, and I can tell you this...the only time she actually sits down and relaxes on the way back to the Normandy is when you’re in the squad. You think she cozies up to...I dunno...Javik...the way she does with you?” Cortez asked with a smirk.

“Well, no, but he’s  _ Javik _ ,” James pointed out, shaking his head as he scraped a fleck of something he’d rather not identify from the barrel of his shotgun. “Not even Liara would dare to try to get close to that guy.”

“Okay, he was a really bad example,” Cortez laughed softly. “But...Kaidan, Liara, Tali, and Garrus...she’s known all of them for ages, but the only one she ever lets near her is  _ you _ . When you’re not there, she paces in the shuttle, like she can’t wait to get back to the ship. I heard she and Kaidan actually dated for a while before she died, but she doesn’t fall asleep on  _ his _ shoulder after each mission...”

“...” James started to speak, then closed his mouth and swallowed before trying again. “You weren’t on Mars. It was pretty obvious they had a really nasty break up, so I doubt she would...”

“She let him back on the ship, and they seem to get along fine,” Cortez interrupted. “They’re always joking around, and talking about the original Normandy.”

“Wait. Are you trying to convince me she might be attracted to  _ me _ , or that she and  _ Kaidan _ are getting back together?” James muttered, grimacing as a heavy feeling settled in the pit of his stomach. 

“I’m trying to point out that she’s good friends with most of the crew, especially the ground team, but the only person she really lets touch her is  _ you _ .” Cortez practically growled. Putting his hand on James’ forearm to stop him from fiddling with one of the mods on his shotgun, he added, “You should tell her how you feel, hermano. While there’s still time.”

“I don’t-” James started to deny that he had actual feelings for Rory Shepard. Cortez had often teased him about her in the past, but James had never admitted that he felt anything more than a mere physical attraction to her. The denial was on the tip of his tongue until he saw the look in his friend’s eyes...the pain of his husband’s loss still obvious if you knew to look for it. Steven Cortez knew exactly what it felt like to lose the love of his life. Respecting his friend too much to lie, James stopped mid-sentence, and sighed. “What if all she feels for me is lust?” he asked quietly. “That’s all the pheromones really mean...”

“I highly doubt that’s the case,” Cortez said, shaking his head slightly, and smiling gently. “...but in that case, you’d have to decide what you really want...what you’re willing to accept from her. I really don’t think you have to worry about that, though. I’ve seen you two together. Kaidan and Liara have both asked me if there’s something going on between you. I think they’re jealous.” 

James bit his lip, and rocked back and forth on the balls of his feet for a moment before putting down the mod he’d just realized he was trying to insert backwards...and into the wrong gun. He started to turn toward the elevator, then stopped, and turned back to his friend. “What about regs?”

“What about them?” Cortez asked, shrugging dismissively. “She’s a Spectre, she can do whatever, or whomever, she wants. Not to mention this pesky little detail that the world could end next week!”

James thought for a moment, and decided his friend was right. “Alright, I’m going up there. Wish me luck?”

“You don’t need it,” Cortez assured him, patting him on the shoulder, and grinning widely. “Quit stalling, and go!” he ordered playfully, gesturing toward the elevator.

“Right,” James nodded firmly in agreement, spun on his heel, and stalked toward the elevator. 

“I know I’ve never tried to woo a  _ female _ , but I’m thinking you might not want to show up at her door with pieces of a shotgun?” Cortez suggested, laughing.

“Goddammit...” Without stopping, James set the partially disassembled gun down on the requisition console as he passed by. “Take care of that for me?” 

“Will do.” Cortez chuckled.

**_Shepard_ **

As soon as the elevator doors closed behind her, Rory flattened herself against the wall, and closed her eyes. She knew she’d been a bit rude, storming off without talking to her team about the mission, but she had to get away from James before she did or said something to give herself away. More than she already had, that is. She could kick herself for letting herself indulge in the brief moment of closeness with him on the shuttle ride back, but it was getting harder and harder to stay away from him, especially since he’d come to her about his N-7 commendation. It was more difficult with every passing day to remember  _ why _ she should stay away. Although  _ she _ was a spectre,  _ he  _ was not. He could get in a lot of trouble if they broke the Alliance’s fraternization rules. Not that she was sure he even wanted to. As much as he liked to flirt, he’d made it pretty clear that was just how he was. It didn’t mean anything. Maybe she should order him to stop. Even innocent flirting could lead to trouble.

As if the universe was reading her mind, the elevator doors popped open on the crew deck to reveal Kaidan leaning against the wall beside the memorial plaques. Rory barely managed to stop herself from jumping at the sight of him, but something on her face must have given her away, because the smile that had briefly crossed his lips upon seeing her quickly turned downward. “Shepard, are you alright?” he asked as he stepped into the elevator, and hit the button for the CIC deck.

“Um, fine, yeah,” Rory mumbled, stepping away from the wall, and standing up straighter. Though they’d made up to some extent, she knew she’d never feel truly comfortable around him again. How could she, when he’d broken her heart less than a year ago. At least they seemed to be well on their way to becoming friends again. 

“No, you’re not,” Kaidan chuckled softly. “You forget, I know you too well to buy that stoic crap. You’re tied up in knots about something, as usual. What is it this time? Vega?”

“I-I-” Rory stuttered, then trailed off in alarm. Taking a deep breath, she turned to face him, hating the knowledge that her face now probably matched her dark red hair. “How did you know?” There was no point denying it...he  _ did _ know her too well for her to lie to him.

“I didn’t. Not for sure,” Kaidan admitted, the corner of his mouth turning up in a wry smile. “I just...I’ve seen the way you look at him sometimes. And how he looks at you. I’ve been wondering if there was anything going on there, and I figured after what happened with us, getting involved with a member of your crew is something you’d likely beat yourself up over.”

“We’re not...I mean, nothing has happened. He doesn’t...” Rory sighed in frustration at her inability to complete a coherent sentence. “My feelings for him are...unrequited.”

To her great annoyance, her former boyfriend let out a loud bark of laughter just as the elevator doors opened on the CIC. “Riiiight, Rory...and I’m the king of France,” he murmured, still chuckling as he exited the elevator. Just before the doors closed, he turned, and looked her in the eye. “He  _ does.  _ And it’s alright to live a little, you know. Let yourself be happy...” He shot her a rueful smile before the doors snapped shut. 

Rory blinked back tears as the elevator began to move. “You too, Kaidan,” she murmured, despite the fact he couldn’t possibly hear her. When the elevator arrived at her cabin, she quickly exited, and headed straight for her bathroom, stripping off her armor and undersuit as she went. The tough battle to take over the Cerberus facility, and the emotional rollercoaster she’d been on since boarding the shuttle afterward, had left her feeling dirty, sore, and exhausted. She wanted nothing more than to take a long, hot shower, and curl up with a good book. Or maybe a Blasto vid. Anything to get her mind off everything for a while.

Of course, since she was currently on a military vessel in the middle of nowhere, ‘long, hot shower’ meant roughly five minutes...with water that was just shy of being comfortably warm. She emerged, shivering, and quickly threw on her favorite N7 sweats. Just as she dropped onto her sofa, EDI’s voice rang out, making her jump a mile. “Commander, Lieutenant Vega is waiting outside your cabin.”

“Why doesn’t he just knock?” Rory asked, her stomach twisting with nerves (and a bit of excitement) at his unexpected visit.

“I informed him that you were naked. He said to inform him when you are decent. Is this a human idiom, Commander? I would say you are an exceptionally decent human being, so-”

“Dressed. It means dressed. Tell him to come on in...” Rory requested, nervously running her fingers through her damp hair, and making sure her hoodie was zipped, since she’d forgone the sports bra and tank top she would normally wear underneath. Despite Kaidan’s earlier assurances that the lieutenant returned her affection, she didn’t necessarily want to flash him as soon as he walked into her cabin.

**_James_ **

Ignoring his friend’s quiet laughter behind him, James entered the elevator with his head held high. He punched the button for level 1, and drew himself up to his full height, clasping his hands casually behind his back as he watched the indicator light move rapidly to the upper level of the ship. He didn’t have enough time to psych himself up for the conversation ahead, so when the doors opened, he froze, staring blankly at the wall across from him until they slid shut again. “Lieutenant Vega, are you alright?” EDI’s pleasant voice filled the tiny space, making him jump. “You arrived at your present location nearly a minute ago.”

“Uh, no...sorry. I guess I spaced out...” James lied, feeling his cheeks heat up.

“Your vitals indicate that you are extremely agitated about something. Perhaps Doctor Chakwas could give you something to help you relax?” the AI suggested. 

“N-no...I don’t really think that’s a good idea,” James mumbled, imagining asking the doctor for a sedative to help him calm down so he could declare his love for his commanding officer. “Uh, is Ror...Commander Shepard in her cabin?” he asked, hitting the button to re-open the elevator doors, and stepping into the tiny hallway outside Shepard’s cabin. 

“She is,” EDI confirmed, before adding, “However, you may want to wait another minute before requesting entry. She is currently naked.”

“What?!” James yelped, his hand frozen in midair over the call button in the center of Shepard’s cabin door.

“She has just exited the shower, and has not yet dressed,” EDI explained, sounding distinctly amused. 

“Holy hell,” James muttered under his breath, closing his eyes and clenching his fists as he struggled not to allow  _ that _ mental image into his head. Once he felt could speak in a semi-normal tone, he asked, “Can you let me know when she’s...decent...so I can-” he waved vaguely at the call button, knowing the AI could see the gesture even though he wasn’t quite sure where all the cameras on the ship were hidden.

“She says it is alright for you to come in now, Lieutenant,” EDI informed him a few moments later, just as the red lock indicator turned green. “She is...decent.” 

Inhaling deeply, James let the breath out slowly before lightly punching the green circle to open the door in front of him. “Lola?” he called out quietly, pausing just inside the door. The lights in the cabin were dimmed, leaving it illuminated mainly by the enormous fish tank to his left. “I’m sorry to bother you, I just...I need to talk to you.”

“You’re never a bother James. Come sit down,” she replied, poking her head around the corner at the bottom of the steps that led down to her bed and sitting area, and giving him a welcoming smile. Her shoulder length hair was dark, still wet from her shower. James watched as a drop of water trickled down her neck into the opening of her black N7 hoodie. ”Everything okay?” She asked after he’d moved down the stairs, and stopped abruptly at the bottom, where he could see all of her. He was used to seeing her in uniform, striding confidently around the ship; or in armor, shooting things. He’d never seen her like this...in well-worn sweats, curled up comfortably at one end of the L-shaped sofa, with her bare feet tucked beneath her.

“Uh...yeah, I think so,” James cleared his throat, forcing his eyes to meet hers as he took another deep breath, desperately trying to summon up a smidge of courage. Rubbing the back of his neck, he exhaled shakily, and said, “So, uh...I had a, uh, kinda...weird...conversation with Scars just now,” he finally managed to stammer.

“Most of your conversations with Garrus are pretty strange, James.” Rory snorted, smirking playfully at him. Patting the couch cushion beside her, she asked, “Why are you still standing? Come sit down. You must be exhausted after that fight. I know I am.”

“Shit...I’m sorry. I didn’t think of that. I should let you rest up,” James blurted, taking a step back, and almost tripping over the bottom step. “Shit...um...sorry.”

“James?” Shepard frowned anxiously, and rose gracefully to her feet, reaching toward him. “Why are you acting so tense? If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were nervous. What the hell did you and Garrus talk about?” 

“Uh, well, to be honest, I am kind of nervous,” James muttered, rubbing the back of his neck again. “Scars said...well...did you know that turians have a really good sense of smell?”

“Yeah,” Shepard blinked at him in obvious confusion. “So...?”

“Well...” James rubbed his neck harder, feeling his pulse beginning to skyrocket. “Dammit, why am I fine with people shooting at me, but I can’t handle talking about this?” he growled under his breath.

“Talking about  _ what _ ?” Shepard stepped closer, and gently grasped his wrist, urging him to sit in the seat she’d just vacated. “James, you know you can talk to me about anything, right?”

“I’m not sure if I  _ should _ , Lola,” he murmured, giving in, and dropping onto the surprisingly comfortable cushions of the sofa. Once Shepard had plopped down on the other side of the L, leaning forward with her elbows on her knees, he cleared his throat, and asked, “Um, do you know what pheromones are?”

Shepard looked thoughtful for a moment, then turned beet red. “I’m so sorry, J...er...Lieutenant,” she mumbled, stiffening slightly, but not moving away from him. Clearing her throat, she began speaking in what James always thought of as her ‘Commander voice’...her tone now more formal and detached. He knew for a fact that she only ever used it when her emotions were turmoil, or when she had to do something she wasn’t entirely comfortable with. “Whatever Garrus said to you, I hope it didn’t make you feel uncomfortable. Believe me, I’m going to have a talk with him about-”

“Rory...” he interrupted, impulsively using her real name in a desperate bid to counter her blatant attempt to create emotional distance between them. “Scars can be a bit of a dick sometimes, but I don’t think he was necessarily out of line. Not if he was right, anyway.  _ Was _ he right? About you, I mean. I already know he was right about me.”

Shepard’s eyes widened almost comically, and she swallowed audibly. “H-he was?” she asked shakily.

James smiled, and reached up to cup her cheek in his hand. “I love you, Rory. I’m completely in love with you, and I have been for a while now.”

**_Shepard_ **

Rory stared blankly at the handsome marine sitting in front of her, wondering if she had hit her head on something during their mission earlier without realizing it. James couldn’t have really said what she thought she’d just heard. Could he? She’d been so sure that her feelings for him were one-sided, so sure that the best course of action was to bury her feelings as deep as she could, and never acknowledge them. If James felt the same way about her, maybe she’d been going about things all wrong. 

It was only when James said, “Lola?” in a low, urgent rumble, that she realized he was still waiting for a response. “Look, I’m sorry...I shouldn’t have...I thought maybe...I’ll just leave you alone...” he mumbled as he stood and began to slink away, heading up the steps to her office area, head hung low like a chastised dog.

“Wait! No! Don’t go!” Rory finally regained her senses, and jumped to her feet, scrambling to snag the back of his t-shirt before he made it to the door. “James...” she trailed off awkwardly when he slowly turned to face her, and she saw the pain in his eyes.

“Lola, don’t...” he mumbled, refusing to meet her gaze. “I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable. I guess I misread things. I won’t bring it up again.” He lowered his eyes to the floor, scratching his neck like he always did when he was nervous, and shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

“James,” Rory said, stepping closer, and gently placing her finger on his lips. “I’m not uncomfortable, and you didn’t read anything wrong. You just surprised me...that’s all,” she admitted, smiling ruefully when he finally raised his gaze from the floor. “I thought it was just me.”

“What are you saying, Rory?” James asked, his lips moving against her fingertip as the tiniest hint of his usual grin pulled at the corner of his mouth. 

“I...I...” Rory swallowed nervously, then took a deep breath, and said, “James, I love you, too.”

He blinked slowly, and the grin grew considerably as his hands slowly rose to grasp her hips, pulling her a bit closer. “Say it again,” he requested quietly. “I just need to make sure I heard you right.”

Rory chuckled. “Yeah, there’s a lot of that going around.” Placing her hands on his shoulders, she quickly rotated them, moving past him to stand on the step above the one he was currently standing on, which brought their faces closer to the same level. “I love you,” she said, speaking slowly and distinctly in an exaggerated way that earned her a chuckle and an eye roll. Leaning forward, she pressed her forehead to his, and repeated in a more serious tone, “I love you. It’s so weird finally saying it.”

“Tell me about it,” James mumbled, then immediately tilted his head the last little bit necessary so he could brush his lips against hers.

It was just a light caress, until Rory let out a strangled sort of croaking sound and lunged forward, wrapping her arms around his neck and turning it into a real kiss. She probably would have been slightly embarrassed by her impulsive reaction, but James let out a low moan, and slid his hands from her hips to wrap his arms around her waist, pulling her lower body against him. She froze when she felt  _ his _ reaction to their first kiss pressing against her stomach. Her mind began racing as she tried to decide if leading him down the steps to her bed would be moving too fast. “Shit...” she panted, drawing away slightly so she could think.

Apparently understanding her dilemma, James groaned, and placed his hands on her shoulders as he took a small step away from her and rolled his head back to gaze at the ceiling for a moment. “Sorry.” he murmured, lowering his head to smile sheepishly at her. “If you’re worried about regs, we can wait until after you kick the reapers’ asses. I don’t want you to think I just want-”

“I’m not thinking anything, James,” Rory interrupted quickly, shaking her head. “Well, no, that’s not true.” Taking his hand, she tugged gently, and led him to sit back down on the sofa. When they were once again seated diagonally across from each other, she took both his hands in hers, taking a moment to notice just how huge they were compared to her own, which led to her noticing all over again just how  _ big _ he was in general. She suddenly realized that, although she’d immediately noticed his massive bulk when she’d first met him almost a year ago, over time he’d just become  _ James _ to her. Though she definitely found him attractive in a physical sense, when she looked at him now, what she always saw first was simply her best friend. Smiling to herself, she realized that her mind had been made up. 

**_James_ **

Waiting nervously for her to speak, James tried not to fidget as Rory silently gazed at his hands with a contemplative look on her face. When she finally looked up at him, with a soft, almost dreamy smile spreading across her face, he found himself breathing a sigh of relief. “What I’m thinking is that life is too short to not grab every chance we have at finding happiness. If...I mean, god forbid...but if something were to happen to one of us on the next mission, or the one after that...whenever...I don’t want to risk either one of our last thoughts being regret that we didn’t give this thing between us a chance because of stupid regs that shouldn’t have any bearing at what could be the end of the world!” Her voice had grown louder as she spoke, and she finished her declaration practically shouting, then took a quick breath and shrugged sheepishly. “That’s what I think,” she murmured, “How ‘bout you?”

James let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. “I think you’re brilliant. Always have,” he informed her with a grin, pulling her closer and kissing her fingers. “Decision making like that is why you get the big bucks. Well, the big rank...” Frowning slightly, he mumbled, “Have you thought of asking for a promotion? You really should have gotten one after taking out Saren, not to mention the Collectors-”

“James?” Rory said, smirking slightly as she climbed over the corner of the coffee table to settle on his lap. “Shut up.”

“On it,” he muttered, wrapping his arms around her, and pressing his lips to the spot just below her left ear, eliciting a noise that was equal parts giggle and moan. 

**Author's Note:**

> I took Spanish in college, but haven't used it much since then, so there are probably mistakes...in fact, I'm fairly sure there are. lol They're basically just calling each other names, anyway...


End file.
